Owners Fenway Sports Group had initially wanted the Reds boss to operate under a director of football but those plans were shelved in favour of a committee-style set-up.

That group includes Rodgers, head of recruitment Dave Fallows and chief scout Barry Hunter (both recruited from Manchester City in the autumn) as well as head of analysis Michael Edwards.

However, Rodgers insists while the job of the panel is to identify targets it is he who makes the final choice, although ultimately FSG's financial backing is the deciding factor.

That came to the fore in the summer when the Americans refused to sanction a deal for Fulham's Clint Dempsey as they believed he was over-priced for a then 29-year-old and he moved to Tottenham to leave Liverpool short of options up front.

"There is absolutely no way a player will come in here if I don't want him," Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo.

"I will always be the first person it comes to. That's not being arrogant, that's how we operate here and how it works in this country.

"Abroad it works differently where you have a coach and the club will bring in the players. The coach then works with the players he's given.

"A lot has been made of it but the fact is the process that happens here is no different to what happens at other English clubs.

"We have a number of people, scouting staff and analysts, who will look for targets who fit the profile of the players that we want.

"Then I will sit down with those guys, look at those targets and make a shortlist from that.

"All that work that goes on is of great help to me. We identify players, gather all the information we possibly can and then if they're right for what we need it comes down to whether they are affordable and available.

"I know the club will go and do the best it can to get the players we want.

"But it's very clear that anyone we sign will be because I want him here."

Liverpool are to show appreciation to Everton for their long-standing support of the Hillsborough justice campaign at Sunday's Merseyside derby.

Fans in the Kop will hold up 12,390 cards to spell out the word 'Thanks'.

"I want to take the opportunity to thank (chairman) Bill Kenwright and Everton fans for their continued support for the families and victims of the Hillsborough disaster," Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre told liverpoolfc.com.

"It is the coming together of the families, supporters and the city that has made the huge breakthroughs of the last 12 months possible.

"Rivalry on the pitch and banter on the terraces are healthy things and are an important part of being a football supporter in this city. They are an important part of the derby atmosphere.

"However, it is the unity of both clubs and both sets of supporters when it's most needed that make our relationship so unique."

Everton paid their own memorable tribute to the justice campaign at Goodison Park last year following the publication of the independent report into the 1989 disaster in which 96 fans died and Kenwright made a moving speech at last month's annual memorial service at Anfield.